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Friday, 19 July 2013

Yesterday was my graduation ceremony. I finally got to wear the cap and gown I had looked forward so much to wearing over the last three years. The actual ceremony was a great occasion (albeit boiling hot throughout the one and a half hour duration). The weather was just beautiful all day but far too hot in a big black robe and hat!

Two things stuck out to me during my ceremony-

1. It was mentioned that for some of us the last three years would have been a very personal journey. I can't think of a better way to describe this time for me. As I have mentioned, I went from being a single girl on her own at the beginning of my University studies to graduating with a husband and a baby sitting in the audience watching me walk the red carpet. It has been a long and challenging journey but I am proud to say I did it!

2. It was also mentioned that this would be the greatest day of our lives so far...As much as I enjoyed wearing the robes, hearing my name read out in the ceremony with those graduating with honours and feeling the intense satisfaction of success, I couldn't help but know I had already had the best day of my life. And now, every day is the best day of my life because I can now dedicate my whole time to my little family whilst doing what I've wanted to do for a long time- be a professional photographer.

Wednesday, 3 July 2013

Three and a bit years ago I was given an unconditional offer
onto DeMontfortUniversity’s Photography and Video
Production Bachelor degree course. Three and a bit years ago I accepted my
offer as a 20 year old, single girl and began to get myself accustomed to
student life on my own.

Three and a bit years later, I am GRADUATING from this
course as a 24 year old, married woman who has gone through six long months of
‘waiting’, an engagement, a wedding, a
pregnancy, a premature birth, a stay in hospital and finally finishing off the
last few months of my degree as a mother looking after a new, tiny little baby.

Never in a million years was I expecting any of this to
happen- I never saw myself as a University student in the first place, but to
then have gone through all the above whilst completing my degree, well, it has
certainly been a challenge.

One of my friends from Uni has commented that I have gained
so much in the last three years- this is so true. But I don’t just count my
degree success in that as many people would. I count first and foremost what I
have achieved alongside that- a brilliant husband and a beautiful baby
daughter- my own little family.

I am so proud that I had the strength to carry on and
complete my final year amidst all that has happened during it. I never knew the
true meaning of ‘stress’ until I found myself with a sick baby in intensive
care, right at the cusp of my final year with half of my work yet to be
completed.

I cannot believe I am now a University graduate, but what I
can’t believe more is that I am a mother to such a perfect and beautiful little
girl. She has added sunshine to my life every day. Peter came along and was the
water and nutrients, putting goodness back into my life, and now Skye is the beautiful
flowers growing from that care.

I need to thank my brilliant husband for being my support
and my broad, strong shoulder to lean on throughout this whole situation. I
honestly could not have done it without him- both degree and birth! He is the
closest person to perfect I know.

I am completely chuffed that I have done so well in my Degree
when I was expecting an average outcome. I am proud that I didn’t defer. I am
proud that I didn’t take a year out. I am proud I completed everything in time
for the usual hand-in period, all whilst holding a newborn! I am happy for
myself that I have this achievement, it means more to me than just a Degree, it
means I have proved to myself and to others that I am very capable of it, even
though I got frustrated with it a lot of the time, I still did it and did it
GOOD!

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Do you see what I see?

Wife, Mother, Graduate Photographer.
Please contact me for information or to ask any questions :)
All photographs and images on this blog are copyright to Rachel Horne Sinclair.
Please don't copy or use my images without permission, thanks :)